Equal opportunities policies and nursing employment within the British National Health Service

Abstract

This paper discusses the continuing failure of equal opportunities policies to have a sustained impact on the experiences of minority ethnic nurses and discusses a number of reasons for the lack of progress of such policies. It examines the reasons why health care organizations might adopt equal opportunities policies and the pragmatic reasons why implementation has been both slow and patchy. It goes on to consider the concepts of managing diversity and ethnic managerialism as new tools to theorize equal opportunities and considers some of the continuing problems inherent in current strategies.

Experiences in the UK National Health Service: The overseas nurses’ workforce

“…A qualitative study conducted [23] showed that African nurses had some difficulties in adapting and gaining promotion in the NHS in the UK and the authors appeared to be suggesting that African nurses' racial features were contributory factors and the findings from this present research concur with that of a similar study [24]. Given such differences in treatment, the analysis leaves open to question whether having substantive equal opportunity policies is improving outcomes for all overseas nurses.…”

Black African Nurses' Experiences of Equality, Racism, and Discrimination in the National Health Service

“…Th is diversity has brought some positive eff ects to the NHS, not the least of which is the relief on the chronic nurse shortage that characterized the NHS throughout the 1980s. However, these overseas nurses have frequently cited racism and harassment as distressing experiences in their working life in NHS hospitals as well as in the private sector in terms of career opportunities (Alexis & Vydelingum, 2004;Allan & Larsen, 2003;Allan, Larsen, Bryan, & Smith, 2005;Archibong & Darr, 2010;Beishon, Virdee, & Hagell, 1995;Culley, 2000;Herbert, Datta, Evans, May, McIlwaine, & Wills, 2006;Larsen, 2007;Lemos & Crane, 2001;Likupe, 2006;Nichols & Campbell, 2010;Royal College of Nursing, 2008;Shields & Wheatley Price, 2002;Taylor, 2005).…”

Black and Minority Ethnic Leaders in the Health Sector

“…Published literature (Alexis et al, 2003;Archibong et al, 2007;Ashraf & Archibong, 2010;Culley, 2001;Esmail, 2007) suggests that BME staff working in NHS organizations face many challenges in progressing to senior positions, including the lack of mentors or role models. BME staff often experience noninclusion from informal networks, stereotyping, and lack of important leadership and line management experience, as well as personal commitments and family responsibilities (Esmail, 2007).…”

“…At the same time, some NHS organizations are attempting to implement equal opportunities policies and promote a "positive image" to recruit people from diverse backgrounds (Alexis et al, 2003). Evidence suggests, however, that there are inconsistencies in the implementation of equal opportunities, causing barriers for people especially from minority ethnic backgrounds to progress into leadership and management positions in health institutions Beishon, Virdee, & Hagell, 1995;Culley, 2001). In those organizations in which senior managers were unsuccessful in understanding equal opportunities policies clearly, resources for developing and training staff were not allocated (Esmail, 2007).…”

“…Th e National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom is one of the largest employers for Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities (Alexis, Vydelingum, & Robbins, 2003;Ashraf & Archibong, 2010;Culley, 2001;Esmail, 2007). Public money funds the NHS; therefore, as a public body, it has a legal obligation to support, develop, and create equal opportunities for people from BME backgrounds in leadership and management roles (Kalra, Abel, & Esmail, 2009;NHS Employers, 2010).…”